Livelihood of Lovers
by Rosette-Cullen
Summary: A set of Drabbles/one-shots ranging from angst to romance and T to M.
1. Sainthood and Motherhood

**A/N: I wrote most of these a while ago, during the transition of summer between semesters. Some were written to see if I still _could_ write, but most are because I miss the fanfiction community.**

**There are only a six here, just the ones I found buried within my Word. These are one-shots and will not be continued.**

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><p>I wasn't sure how to feel about these changes that were coming about so swiftly. The expanding block between Edward and I was enough to scare me, but he had become so enthusiastic.<p>

As I stood in front of the floor length mirror, I realized just how far I'd come in the last seven months. The button-up shirt that fit snugly just three weeks ago barely managed to fit across my breasts, much less my belly.

For a moment I stood there, just staring at the material draping from my shoulders. It was like a cape, I noted. No, this wasn't my real identity; it was a temporary state of being for another two months. But I had two more months of this to endure. After nearly a year, would I be able to shake the strange occurrences that had become a normal part of my life? Could I go back to normalcy after ballooning and morphing into an emotional monster?

My eyes dropped to the slowly growing swell of my stomach. I didn't like blood or guts… and there was a baby swimming around in both. The feeling of vomit crept up my esophagus and the blood drained from my face. It had been a while since nausea paralyzed me.

My cape fell to the floor and I crumpled to my knees with it. Stomach acid caught in my throat and I was instantly relieved that I hadn't eaten that morning. As soon as my knees hit the soft burgundy carpet, Edward was by my side, kneeling with a hand on my lower back.

"Is everything okay? I could hear you from the bathroom," he said as his fingertips brushed up and down my spine.

I said nothing, just stopped breathing and focused on keeping the bile down long enough to quell the ache in my stomach.

Once my body settled down, I leaned back and gave Edward a thumbs up. He did not look impressed.

"I'm good," I muttered, slightly embarrassed. "Promise. Just some morning sickness coming back."

His brows came down and his arm wrapped tightly around my shoulders. "I'll make you some tea if you're sure everything's alright. My mother brought some back from India."

"That sounds nice."

"Just come downstairs when you feel up to it."

"Yeah," I mumbled, staring at the floor.

He left the room with a gentle squeeze to my left shoulder and I was alone with my thoughts once more.

Edward had gone into the preoperational stages of fatherhood as soon as he heard of my pregnancy. Yet each and every day I wished for the incubation stage to last a little longer. How could I have told him I did not feel a connection or bond to the child within me? How could I tell him that while he slept I could do nothing but worry and cry because I did not love our child?

I wiped at my moist lashes and threw my cape back onto my shoulders to regain strength. Standing, I grabbed a large nightshirt before going into the bathroom to stare, once again, at my expanding stomach.

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><p><strong>AN: Yeah, so not all are this depressing. Just some.**


	2. Dreams, Inevitably, get Delayed

**A/N: Did I say they get less depressing? **

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><p>"If I were smarter… or taller," she said quietly from across the room. "They would have accepted me."<p>

"Intelligence has nothing to do with dancing," I assured her.

Her face scrunched up and she bent her head forward, choppy bangs covering her eyes. More than anything, I hated when girls cried. They always tried to be strong, but no girl looked respectable when she cried.

"If I had the brains to make a great choreography, then I would have been accepted. The past eighteen years of my life have been wasted."

I pulled her pink comforter over my nude bottom half. Had I know her sex drive was out of devastation, I would have stayed at work. I could practically feel her sorrow dripping off in waves and crashing over me in the most unpleasant of ways.

"So what, Alice?" She looked enraged. "My sister tried to get into Yale, and guess what? She's not the brightest firefly in the field. But she did two years at a different school, applied herself, and got in."

"What's the point?" she sniveled. "Two more years and I'll practically be a relic. Julliard won't take me then."

I sucked in a deep breath and blew out, making a horse-like sound. Alice threw her alarm clock at me, narrowly missing the side of my head. I could handle rage better than sadness.

"What's the big deal?" I mocked.

"_The big deal_?" she mimicked. "This is the _biggest deal_ in my entire life!"

"Why?"

She stood, and it was hard to take her seriously with her hair all over the place and a purple towel wrapped around her shoulders. I propped my back against the wall, ready for a show.

"How long have you known me for, Jasper? Jesus, I can't believe how inconsiderate you are! This is my life's goal and I'll get there eventually."

"What if you don't?"

"I will! Watch, you… you asshole!"

"Okay," I shrugged. "I believe you."

"What?" She looked utterly baffled.

"Go do what you have to, and then get famous and forget about me."

Her attitude dropped immediately. The nice Alice came back and she crawled onto the bed, sitting between my legs. Her hands gently touched my thighs, the feeling of her scratchy blanket irritating my skin.

"I would never forget about you," she said quietly.

"I know." And I smiled because it was true.

"Stay the night? I'm still sad…."

I pulled her forward and the towel slipped off her shoulders. "Of course."


	3. Lonely Little Love Dog

The small dog spun in circles, chasing its tale before stopping to gnaw at its backside. Once the itch was sufficiently scratched, it jumped up, putting its front paws on the knees of its new owner.

"I don't much like animals."

"Well, it likes you," the young woman laughed.

"_It_ is a boy," the vampire stated.

"He likes you a lot, Edward. Look how happy he is."

The puppy attempted to jump further into Edward's lap, nuzzling his head into the vampire's groin. Edward pushed back gently, reminding the dog that there was another person to give attention.

"He has a sense of debt. I saved him from a black bear, and therefore he just wants to show his gratitude." Edward wiped away the slobber from his crotch. "In a strange way."

Bella picked up the dog and it immediately curled up against her chest, licking at her collarbone. She didn't want to tell Edward in case he had severe opposition to keeping him, but she was smitten with the puppy.

"We should give him a name," she said enthusiastically.

Edward's mouth twisted. "Why?"

She looked at him from under her lashes. "Why not?"

"We can't keep him."

"But—"

"Family of vampires, Bella. And your father is allergic."

"I'm here everyday and there's never been a problem." Her face went red. "Well, not recently."

The dog wriggled until it was back on the floor between the two. He attacked Edward's sock with its small teeth until his big toe poked out. Once the task was complete, he dove into the vampire's groin.

Edward picked the dog up by the scruff of its neck and examined its expression. "You know," he said, "animals are supposed to have a natural instinct that scares them away from my kind. This one must have a defect."

A thrill of hope struck Bella and she leaned forward on her knees. "Vampires are supposed to eat people. But you don't. And he's not afraid of you. So you both have defects."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome," she smiled. "If we don't take care of him, who will? An animal without natural instincts won't last very long. Look at his little face, how can you let him go back into the wilderness?"

"I'd take him to a shelter, naturally."

"You're missing the point."

"So, I keep this dog and not only protect him from the dangers of the outside world, but the dangers in this house? What am I getting out of this aside from a snack on a rainy day?" Edward paused. "Why do you look horrified?"

Bella leaned forward so that she was on her hands and knees, and gently pulled the dog away from the cocoon of Edward's goods. The dog immediately tried to dive back in.

"I think we should name him Sargent," she stated confidently. Edward's eyebrow hitched. "Maybe then he'll stay away from your privates."

Bella grinned, but Edward did not look impressed. In times of disagreement, she pulled the emergency switch and fell into his lap. Her back pressed against his chest and Sargent looked happier now that he didn't have to choose between owners.

"Sargent it is," Edward agreed. "There's only person allowed near my privates."

Bella flushed, and said privates swelled beneath her bottom.

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><p><strong>AN: This is kind of a really good song.**


	4. From Humble Beginnings

"I'm trying to do homework," Bella said from her seat on the couch.

As soon as we walked in, her brows pulled together and she looked frustrated. Emmett always did this between the hours of three and five. The invitation would be a casual challenge to play videogames, to which Jasper and I would accept, but always ended with the intention to drive Bella crazy.

"So leave," Emmett grumbled. "You're messing up my gaming flow—Cullen get your ass over here! One shot by my X."

It was at this point that Bella stood and left the room. It happened nearly everyday and she would disappear until the following afternoon. In the beginning I would call him an asshole and hunt him down in whatever game we were playing. As I got older it began to bother me a little more. Bella and I had known each other just as long as I'd known her brother. She was quiet and kept to herself, but mornings after sleep overs, when I woke up earlier than everyone else, she'd always be in the kitchen with a book. Even though Emmett hated his sister, she'd never done anything wrong to me.

"Why do you do that shit?" I asked, running toward Battlezone Three.

"What shit? I don't die on purpose. This bastard snuck up on me."

"No, the way you treat your sister—"

"_Step_sister."

"Fine, the way you treat your _step_sister is fucking awful." My tone flattened at the end, giving way to anger.

Emmett's character was bombed with rockets and the control was thrown to the floor with a bang. After his bout of cursing and physical outbursts, Emmett sat back down on couch and glared at me.

"Are you bleeding, Edward? Go play with Boring Bella if you care so much."

"Chill out, you two," Jasper cut in, starting a new round. "That guy who kept killing Emmett invited us to a private match. Pull up your panties and get ready."

I stood up. "No, I'm gonna take Emmett's advice. There's a test in history tomorrow, I bet she's studying for it right now."

Emmett made some comment and Jasper furiously smashed the controller to back out of a game. My mom raised me with enough sense not to disrespect girls; it frustrated me to no end that Emmett could talk shit about someone he barely saw.

My footfalls were purposely loud while going up the stairs so Bella wouldn't be alarmed with my visit. As soon as I got to the upstairs hallway, I turned right back around. She probably thought I was the same as her brother—just another asshole using her for whatever I needed.

But I needed to study anyway. I'd probably have to spend the rest of the night cramming.

My mouth twisted and I continued forward, knocking on the door with a crack down the middle. My stomach did a flip—because I'd been witness to its creation. I should have stopped Emmett, but we had just become friends and when he wanted to play a prank on his stepsister, I was all for it.

"What?" Bella yelled.

"Uh, it's Edward."

It was quiet for a few beats, and then, "What do you want?"

I tried to open her door, but the knob shook a little without giving way. Great. "It would be easier to talk without a door in the way."

"Then turn and lift."

What the fuck? I grabbed the knob again and turned roughly while shoving the door upward. My shoulder leaned against the door instinctively and when it flew open I nearly landed on my face. With an awkward shuffle and cough, I looked over to where Bella sat her desk in front of a window with her back to me. A shock of relief went through me as I escaped embarrassment.

"You're, uh, studying for history?"

"Yeah."

"Mind if I join?"

She looked over her shoulder at me, eyes appraising how serious I was. Under scrutiny, I fidgeted a little. It was like I was six and my mom was determining whether I wanted to go shopping with her for bonding time, or a new toy.

"I'm not fucking with you—promise," I said, holding my hands up.

She shrugged and went back to reading over some notes, highlighter in hand. "I just finished with the Industrial Revolution, you can read over my notes if you want."

"No, it's cool. I can just read from the book." Even though her notes would be right on the money, I thought it best not to use them. The way her shoulders were stiff led me to believe my presence was making her uncomfortable.

She nodded and I grabbed the book from the edge of her desk. I slid down the wall by her desk, my ass landing on the fluffy, outdated shag carpet. At least I'd be comfy while studying this boring shit. Wordlessly, she handed me a notebook with a pen hooked to the spiral margin.

"Thanks," I smiled, but her eyes were trained on the paper in front of her.

I started with the chapter vocabulary and worked my way through the first few pages. Names and dates continuously escaped me as I read. This was my first time actually _reading_ the course material from a textbook and every time I'd forget a name or date, the book would repeat itself and slowly information would stick.

After an hour of uninterrupted studying, Bella shuffled her notes and opened another binder.

I gaped up at her. "You're finished already?"

She looked down at me, eyebrows coming together. "You're actually reading through all of that?"

"Well… yeah, I thought—"

She handed me a piece of paper with an outline on it. "Didn't you copy this down from the board? We only need to know certain parts."

My mouth opened up and I stared down at the three pages of notes on my lap. "God dammit."

Her lips twitched. "Why don't you borrow my notes and save yourself some time."

I rubbed at my temple. "Yeah, thanks."

"Not a problem."

Her handwriting was neat, and within the first couple paragraphs I saw information I'd gone over, and then more dates and names that meant nothing to me. Sighing, I ripped my other notes out and started over.

Bella pulled out a math book and all was silent save for the sounds of calculator buttons. My legs stretched out and hit her foot; she recoiled a little, going back to the former uncomfortable look.

"Sorry," I said.

"It's okay."

"No, I mean sorry about your brother."

"_Step_brother," she corrected.

"Yeah, well, sorry about your stepbrother. If I had a sibling like that I'd kill myself." I mentally kicked myself. "Not that you should kill yourself, but, just, if I had to deal with that…."

"It's cool," she mumbled, not looking away from her math work. "I've gotten used to it."

"Really?" My shocked tone made her head raise and she looked down at me. "There are times where I think, 'Wow, Emmett couldn't possibly be more of an asshole.' And he always manages to outdo himself."

"Everyone has a special skill," she said seriously. "That's his. He's constantly trying to one-up everybody—even himself."

I barked a laugh and covered my mouth. Her lips twitched again, probably at the way I imitated a seal. "Uh, yeah, I see what you mean."

"How do you get along with your siblings?" she asked curiously.

"I don't have any, actually."

She sighed. "You're lucky."

"I guess." I shrugged. "When I was little I used to yell at my parents to give me a sibling. We had a big house and my babysitter was old, so things got boring fast."

"I was an only child before my dad remarried. I remember asking for a brother every Christmas." She grimaced. "Careful what you wish for."

We fell back into silence, focuses on our different topics. I read over her notes, copying word-for-word and trying my damndest to memorize everything.

A half hour in, I was struggling to make sense of a timeline. I was jolted from my focus, when Bella cleared her throat.

"Why…" she hesitated. "Why did you come up here?"

I looked up at her and bent my knees up to rest my elbows on them, happy for the reprieve from work. "I dunno. Why not?"

Her mouth twitched and she nodded. "Okay."

"You're the smartest girl I've ever met, and there's no way in hell Emmett or Jasper would be caught dead studying."

She looked mildly offended at my compliment.

"Well, when you're done with my notes you can go back to hanging out with them. Jasper will just cheat off someone like he always does anyway. Maybe this time your answers will be good enough for both of you to pass."

"Ouch. That stings. Right here, Bella." I patted my chest.

She looked back at her paper. "Sorry," she muttered. "That was rude of me."

"Don't sweat it. I saw you got a C on the last test. Whereas I got a B."

She flushed and looked down at me angrily. "How do you even know that? I studied the wrong chapter by mistake and—and I just—"

I put my hand up defensively. "Hey, no need to get mad. I just got a pat on the back for doing better than the teacher's pet."

"I'm not—"

"You're not purposely, but that's the stigma that come with being smart."

"Bullshit," she snapped.

I grinned. "I don't think I've ever heard you swear."

"Fuck off."

"I like this side."

I laughed and went back to my notes. A page and a half more and I'd be set to murder this test.

Bella hurled her chair backwards as far as the shag would allow and glared down at me. "People say you're a carbon copy of my brother and that you and Jasper had a gay moment in P.E."

My mouth fell open. "I fell! It was seventh grade and I fell!" I nearly screamed. "And what the fuck you mean by _carbon copy_?"

She didn't say anything, just started at me with her big fucking brown eyes. Her face was completely expressionless, but I could feel her judging me.

"They just say…" she explained weakly.

"Who the fuck are _they_? You believe everything you're told? Shit gets tossed around to everyone, but you don't take claim when the turd's in your hand, do you?"

"Edward, what does that even—"

"That Jessica girl said you're in love with Emmett and that's why you act like a frigid bitch." She looked furious, and then a split second later she looked distraught. "But anyone who knows you or Emmett knows that not true."

"Yeah, you're right. I'm just a frigid bitch."

I rolled my eyes. "Pity, party of one."

"Shut the fuck up."

"Why, are you gonna cry?"

She grabbed a stapler from her desk and threw it at me. At my head. It smashed against the wall and a spring fired out and hit the adjacent wall. I stared at the faint spot for a second, and then at Bella.

She didn't look sorry, or shocked, or any other acceptable emotion that an attacker might have. She didn't look guilty—just really fucking pissed.

"Thank God you have the aim of a girl." She made a move for a glass paperweight in the shape of a star. That would definitely cause damage. "Calm the fuck down!"

"You think just because I'm a girl I won't kick your ass?" she yelled. "You think I'm like _Jessica Stanley_ and handle you by crying?"

"No, I don't think that! Just don't throw anymore shit at me!"

She dropped the paperweight back on her pile of papers and fell back into her chair. "Neither of the two downstairs even care that there was a crash. You could have murdered me and they wouldn't have given a shit."

"Well, I think you would kill me before I could even stand up." I fingered the small hole by the side of my head. The stapler had landed by my hip and cracked open, revealing broken lines of metal.

"So what if I'm quiet and don't socialize a lot?" Bella fumed, mostly talking to herself. "I'd rather spend time by myself than with anyone else here."

"You sound bitter."

"What if I am?"

"You seem cool to me," I said truthfully. "Honestly, I'd rather have a stapler thrown at my head than deal with a crying girl. And out of the dozen offhanded conversations we've had, this is by far my favorite."

She just stared angrily out her window. "Yeah. Whatever. You think I've got anger issues now."

"You definitely do," I laughed. "But it's cool, because at least you stand up for yourself."

"You can stop sucking up. I'm not going to throw anything else."

I grinned. And for the first time, she smiled back. Not the half-assed smile she usually gave me, but a full-fledged believable smile.

"Can we be friends now?" I asked, still grinning up at her.

Her smile widened just a bit more. "Yeah, sure."

**A/N: Crying girls give the female species a bad reputation. I want to throw a stapler at their heads.**

**Only one more chapter left.**


	5. A Temporary State of Homecoming

**A/N: This is by far my favorite thing in here. Not to blow smoke up my ass, but I had a great time writing this.**

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><p>"I fucking hate when you make me do this," Edward whined.<p>

Bella tried to steady her hand enough to apply mascara. Her fingers twitched and a little black blob smeared across her eyelid. She frowned, more annoyed that her hard work now had to be wiped away.

"You only hate having to wear a tie. And you hate it because you can't tie it," she replied, pulling out a pallet of eye shadow and slowly working the natural colors back onto her skin.

Edward pulled up one of his legs from where they dangled over the countertop. He'd come to pick Bella up earlier than she'd expected and patiently waited for her to get ready—trying to talk her out of their dinner all the while. He played with a brown eye pencil, drawing shapes on the back of his hand.

"I hate this whole thing," he muttered. "Getting dressed up, acting like I can tolerate your friends, and especially the food." He grimaced. "Fancy places should have better food."

Bella frowned at her reflection. "They're not my friends. My dad just wants me to reconnect with some people from high school."

"You've only been away at school for, what, five months? I doubt there's much to reconnect about."

She shrugged. Maybe Edward was right, but after her first semester of college and the inherent freedom that she gained, it was kind of nice to be grounded and get back to her old life. She'd been so eager to leave for college with her high school boyfriend—nervous about maintaining a relationship in a new place, schoolwork, and her newly opened social life, but after a successful run, she'd decided to be more open to her surroundings. So when her father had suggested going out with some girls from high school for their regular Thursday night dinners, she took him up on the offer.

"Jessica told me she's seeing Mike. You won't be the only guy there."

"Another thing to add to my 'I hate' list," Edward grumbled. "I don't think I spoke to these people _once_ in high school."

"You may not want to admit it, but you spent a few years in classes with them, so you're familiar with all of them," Bella reasoned. "Besides, it won't be _that_ bad. Remember the time we went on a double date with your roommate?"

Edward shuddered, ghosting his hand over his thigh, brushing off the memory of vomit. "Okay. Nothing can be as bad as that night," he agreed.

Make up applied, Bella stepped away from the mirror and moved in front of Edward, smiling up at him. "Do I look pretty now?"

He rolled his eyes and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Let's stay in."

She made a fist and lightly knocked him in the jaw. "I'll fight you for it. First one to cry loses."

"I wouldn't want to emasculate myself, so I guess you win by default."

His hands went to her lower back and Bella pushed up against him. "My dad's working late tonight. Does your mommy expect you back home before curfew?"

Edward's mouth twisted. "Funny. And no. I told her not to wait up. I think tonight should be a designated sex night—it's been a fucking week."

"I think you're forgetting about that BJ in the car." She grinned when his hands slid down her spine to the back of her thighs, bringing her closer. "I hope you can hold out without popping the moment your pants come off."

"Shut the fuck up," he mumbled.

She laughed, slapping her hands down on his thighs. "It's okay, Lover Boy. Just rub one out sometime during the night and we'll be all set."

"Remember when you were shy and virginal and _I _used to make the sex jokes?"

"Not really."

"Yeah, me neither."

She tore away from her lover and went through the motions of completing her ensemble. By the time she lint rolled her black dress and found a decent coat, Edward came downstairs, brows set low over his eyes.

"Took you long enough. Time to go." She turned to open the door and stopped. "You took my advice, eh?"

Edward grabbed his jacket and keys. "That picture of you in the hallway—the one where you're bent over with the cleavage."

"Ew. I was fourteen, you sicko."

"It was either that one or your mom in a bikini."

"_Stop_. Time to leave before you soil more of my childhood memories."

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><p>"I don't believe you're still with Edward. Who would have guessed, huh? Almost everyone was saying you guys broke up when you were away at school, and then you come back and you're still together! You know what? I say go for it. Like, even if you <em>did<em> break up at some point, it's still okay because you're together now. But everyone's saying that you're only together now because, well, you're home and it's not like you could just _avoid_ each other in such a small town. But any problems you have, you can definitely come and talk to me about."

"Right-o. I'll let you know."

"So what problem _do _you have?"

"Right now? I'm trying to pee, but it's really hard when someone's talking to me."

Jessica's feet shuffled out of view from the stall Bella was in—presumably toward the mirror on the opposite side of the bathroom. With distractions out of the way, she finished her business, awkwardly standing while trying not to dunk her dress in the toilet bowl.

As soon as a flush sounded, Jessica was back at it. "It's clear you've got a great relationship going, but not _everything_ can be great. Like, for example, Mike snores super loud. It literally vibrates the whole room sometimes. And when I wake him up, he chokes! So sometimes I'm just _too_ tired and can't get to sleep, but I'm afraid to wake him up. What if he died? How could I possibly live with myself?"

Bella dried her hands, focused more on finding the right spot on the hand dryer. Her fingers hit a strong current of heat and she grinned.

"My dad snores. I got him a mouth guard that opens the airway when he sleeps for Christmas. I think it came with five dollars off another one, if you want it," she offered.

Jessica's mouth twisted a little. "Well, no, it's not that big of a problem. But that was just an example. I'm sure you don't have to deal with stuff like that."

"You're right. I don't." Bella moved away from the counter as Lauren came out, staring at her.

The sound of running water almost drowned out her quiet voice. "She's digging for information, in case you couldn't figure it out, Bella."

"Lauren!"

"No, I got it." Bella pressed up against the counter, feeling more than a little cornered.

All she wanted was to use the restroom. Some unnecessary Girl Code had Jessica following after her, Lauren on her heels. Had she known that a trip to the bathroom could be this awful, she'd have held it. At least she wasn't stuck at the table talking to Mike Newton about God only knows, like Edward.

She twirled a piece of hair and tried to think of something to tell them. "Honestly, there's not much to gossip about."

"Um, I call bullshit," Jessica objected. "You date _Edward_. There has to be _something_."

Bella felt her eye twitch. "Okay, this one time he gave me a twenty-four hour bug and when I leaned over to throw up, I fell out of my bed and he just laughed at me. I think that was the most pissed off I've ever been at him."

They both stared at her.

"What about sex?" Lauren pointedly asked.

Jessica bristled with excitement. "Yeah, come on! Is he hung, or is that pretty face deceiving?"

"Jesus, I don't know. It's not like I go around looking at dicks to compare. It works for me, that's all I really care about."

"Well, how often you orgasm?" Jessica seemed almost angry, Bella noted. "Mike gives a good performance one out five times—"

"Whoa, I really don't need to know—"

"Ugh, why do you bother with Mike? I _told _you he was a two pump chump and you just had to go and see for yourself."

"We are in _love_, Lauren. It's not like—like dick size or stamina dictates an entire relationship!"

"Admit it. You'd be a lot happier if he just manned up and ate the abricot fendue—"

Bella stared at the two of them, now completely ignored and squished into a corner by the bathroom counter. If she stayed still they might not notice her, but she wasn't so sure their conversation would be easily forgotten. Jessica looked close to tears and her face was a shockingly violent red.

The bathroom door opened and Angela stood halfway behind it. Upon finding Jessica in meltdown sequence, she chose to stay midway between the bathroom and hallway.

"Uh, I just came to check on you guys. It's been a while."

"We were just leaving actually," Bella nearly shouted, making her way towards the door.

Jessica swung her hand out as if to grab onto Bella's wrist and the escaping female casually brought it up to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, successfully avoiding contact. She couldn't handle much more of their intrusive questioning, nor the emotional breakdowns.

When the table was in sight, Bella let out the breath she'd been holding. Edward looked absolutely miserable and a crease had started to form between his eyebrows.

"What the fuck took you so long?" he hissed, turning fully away from Mike Newton.

"Oh my God," Bella sighed. "I'm so glad you're not a two pump chump anymore."

Edward made a face and turned away from her.

The appetizers arrived and Edward's insides knotted up. It had only been half an hour, and he already wanted to kill himself.

By the time Jessica and Lauren came out of the bathroom, freshly powdered and confident, Bella had plowed through her salad and was picking at Edwards. She'd stupidly decided eating beforehand would be a waste and the assault in the bathroom worked up her appetite. Edward slapped her hand away from his tomato and shoved a couple pieces of lettuce onto her plate.

"You're like a beast ravaging my food," he snickered.

"I'm so hungry and I'm at that bottomless pit stage. The more nourishment I get the better sex will be."

"Stop with the dirty talk. My boner might break the table."

She stabbed more of his salad. "Remember what I did with whip cream that one time? Save some of your ranch dressing for the doggy bag."

Edward dumped his plate loudly on top of hers.

"So, Edward," Jessica interrupted the following silence. "What did you decide to major in?"

All eyes fell on Edward and he fell silent.

"Alcoholism," Bella answered.

"Ha," he deadpanned. "I _was_ gonna do some sciency lab type thing, but I like working with my hands so I decided on medicine."

A million different conversations started about his area of expertise and Bella focused on her food while Edward not so eloquently relayed that he didn't have one yet.

"You should be a cardiologist," Bella said once all the remains of her salad were gone.

His eyebrow hitched. "Why?"

"Because," she said seriously. He stopped fidgeting and gave her his whole focus. "You broke into my heart—"

"Shut the fuck up."

"—and you rearranged it all up—"

"I swear to Christ, Bella."

"—and then you stitched it with your initials."

Edward went silent, his expression pensive. "Hey, Bella… did it hurt?"

She looked up him, confused. "Did what hurt?"

"When you fell from heaven."

"No, I landed snugly on your table-breaking-boner."

A loud sound erupted from Edward's throat and his mouth opened in a way that made him look slack jawed. Bella shoved a napkin over her mouth to stop from laughing, but Edward guffawed an awful sound. It was something between a seal's bark and horse's whimper.

Edward froze as everyone once again focused on him. Bella erupted in a fit of laughter and attention was successfully averted. She waved a limp hand and put her head down, hair covering her decidedly rude behavior.

"So immature. I'm sorry, everyone," Edward apologized, but it just made her laugh harder.

* * *

><p><em>All I want is my food,<em> Bella thought. _I just want my pasta. I can smell it. That woman ordered after we did and she got hers like ten minutes ago. This is complete ageism right here. _

"Stop moving so much," Edward muttered.

"I'm so hungry, Edward. I feel lightheaded."

"Have some more bread."

"I don't want anymore—it's hard."

"You never complained about it being hard before."

She glared at him. "Do you think this is funny? Do you think my pain is amusing?"

She shoved her chair away from him and tried to focus on conversation around the table. Why did she do this again? Oh, right. She had a sense of being grounded, of being back to her roots. But she'd left for school to get _away_ from her roots in the first place.

Jessica babbled about a television show Bella had never heard of, but she tuned it out. No, she was more focused on Jessica's exaggerated body language. She was practically on top of Mike, and every time one of them would touch the other, she'd look over at Lauren. Mike looked a little glassy eyed and Bella would have bet her left arm that he was getting hand action at that very moment. She turned to comment on it when she remembered her no longer close proximity to Edward. He was deep in conversation with Angela and her boyfriend and she decided not to bother them.

After Jessica dragged Angela into her conversation, her hands disappeared once more from the table. Bella subtly watched as Mike went stiff, face reddening. It looked like he was under a tanning bulb with the way sweat was beading at his temples. Could no one else really see this?

She whipped her head to Edward who was in a world of his own, staring into the back of the restaurant. Good, he'd let her know when her food was coming.

Mike was squirming all over and Jessica shifted so she was more on his lap to anchor him down. Goddamn this was pathetic. He could barely control himself and she was doing all the work.

His jaw tightened and his eyes popped eerily wide. It was like Bella could see into his brain. She vaguely remembered a cow toy Charlie had given her when she was a kid. She'd squeeze it and the eyes would pop out while it moo'd. Mike made a strange yet quiet noise and melted into his chair like he was spineless.

Bella pulled her chair back to Edward and put a hand on his thigh. His eyes immediately snapped away from the door to the kitchen and down to her. She could definitely one-up that performance. No sweat. But hell if anyone at this table would figure it out. And hopefully if Edward could hold out, he'd skip foreplay and get right to it once they got home.

"I think they're bringing out our food," Edward announced, breaking Bella from her thoughts.

A waiter put a large bowl of pasta in front of her and she began eating with the hand that wasn't glued to Edward.

Halfway through, when that familiar stomachache feeling started to pop up, Bella stopped and sat back in her seat. No longer suffering, she focused on her hand and Edward's crotch.

Bella slipped her fingers up the seam of his pants until she felt center and grinned when he jumped. Edward put a restraining hand on her wrist for a moment, and then released with a shrug, continuing to eat.

With one quick glance around the table, she pulled up the tablecloth to cover his groin and pulled down his zipper. He'd have to deal with the fact that she wasn't touching his naked junk. That was just too unsanitary.

Edward didn't seem to care either way as his legs settled outward and he leaned back in his chair. One arm came around the back of her chair and he focused on eating.

She rubbed in a fluid rhythm, putting pressure where his hips guided and in no time she had an approving reaction. He sighed and brought down the arm that had been playing with her hair. His fingers ghosted over her knee, and then his warm palm was on her inner thigh.

"What are you doing?" she hissed.

"Dinner's almost over. You think you can work me up and just leave?" He shoved his hand upward until her legs parted and his palm was completely over the inseam of her panties. The heel of his palm was right on her clit and she grabbed onto his wrist with both hands to stabilize herself.

Mouth open, eyes shut, and legs together, she tried to pry his hand away. He just left it there, though, and soon enough he began to move it until the pressure became unbearable.

Trying desperately to compose herself, Bella moved the skirt of her dress away from where a puddle was beginning form in her panties. Edward's palm continued to move and his fingers were swinging up and down, trying to poke and prod at where her panties covered entry.

"Not fair," she whimpered.

Edward grinned at having won her issued challenge and removed his hand.

Bella's legs snapped shut and she jackknifed in her seat. Even though she was openly on display for anyone to see, the thought of Edward rubbing her off and cumming right at his side was what she'd wanted.

Beyond flustered, Bella quickly turned down the offer for desert.

* * *

><p>"Take your hand off that wheel and put it back," Bella growled.<p>

Edward gripped the steering wheel harder, defying her order. "A good driver should always keep both hands at ten and two, Bella."

"You never drive with two hands!" she screamed. "At least go faster."

"The speed limit is thirty, so I'm going thirty."

"The next time your dick is in my mouth, I'm going to bite it."

"Ooh, I'm so scared."

"Fuck you!"

Even though anger swelled in her chest, every time Edward moved, Bella couldn't help but squirm. When his hands slid around the wheel she could only imagine them on her skin, between her thighs. She'd gone a week without his fingers, mouth, or cock and she was dying with eagerness to be reunited.

Her legs squeezed together tighter—if that was even possible at this point. Every bump in the road was focused on her seat and the wind from open windows caressed her heated skin.

She no longer cared that her body was fidgeting with need. He'd driven her this far, so why be embarrassed? In her head, Bella devised a plan. She'd cum first, then make Edward beg her for the rest of the night.

"Jessica looked so pissed when we left. I thought she was gonna chase us out of there."

"Mike's been having penal problems and for a while I thought she was going to invite us for an orgy," Bella said, trying to ignore her hormones.

"Is _that_ what you were talking about in the bathroom?" Edward's brow lowered and his tongue poked out from between his lips.

He stopped at a red light and Bella unbuckled herself, jumping on him. That tongue was in her mouth in seconds and her hand was down his pants. Fingertips found flesh and Edward moaned.

Bella managed to wiggle her fist around his cock and stroked in the confined space on his dress pants. She grinned against his mouth when a thin droplet of precum slid over her knuckles.

"Stop, stop, stop," he slurred. "Gonna cum."

She gripped harder.

"Fuck, stop. These are my dad's pants," he whined.

"Somehow I don't think he'll be mad."

His hips pumped up into her fist, and the hand he'd put on her thigh squeezed hard enough to leave a bruise. Bella shifted to move his hand, but she felt her panties sliding over the pained spot.

She stopped moving and her knees began to tremble where she kneeled on the passenger seat. One leg moved forward until her calf was on the middle isle, spreading herself for his fingers.

"_Please_," she begged.

Her hand moved again. His head fell back against the headrest while green light washed over him. When the light flashed red once more, his fingers were inside of her.

Bella gasped against his mouth, eyes squeezing shut, and her hand pumped over his cock as motivation for him to continue. She was so close. Her hips rocked backward a little bit, and each time she pushed back, some part of his hand just barely bushed over her clit. The pressure built up tremendously and it physically hurt her to be this close without being able to reach orgasm. Strained noises left her mouth and the longer their mutual hand jobs went on, the louder panting and moaning became.

And then the rhythm was broken.

A car behind them honked loudly, trying to find a way around them on the one-way street. Either side of the road was too narrow, and the honking became more incessant the longer they waited.

"Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Edward yelled.

"No. Ignore it, Edward. So close."

The sound of a car door closing loudly had the two of them scrambling. Bella fell back into her seat as Edward floored the car, leaving a large dust cloud in their wake. Whoever it was began to scream at the retreating car loudly.

"Don't be shy to drive a little faster," she breathed.

He took her advice without a word and blew through a stop sign. She hoped her father wasn't surveying main roads—her eloquence had been left behind at the traffic light.

Once she saw the familiar landscape of her neighborhood, Bella began removing clothing that would obstruct Edward from fucking her immediately. Bella's panties caught on her shoes and she tore the black kitten heels off. Without the protection of her underwear, every bump in the road shot right between her thighs.

Edward pulled quickly up into the house's driveway, nearly hitting the garage. Neither one complained as the engine was shot off and each was grabbing for the other.

Edward mumbled something against his girlfriend's mouth, but she was oblivious to anything and everything. He somehow managed to maneuver his way out of the car while she was wrapped around him. The journey up the walkway proved to be a little more difficult as Bella's head obstructed his view and without any light, he nearly fell twice.

"Where's your fucking key?" he gasped.

She pulled back and stuck a hand in her cleavage, pulling out a small bronze key. He bent down a little so she could undo the lock and once the doorway to sweet fucking relief was open, it was closed just as quickly.

He didn't make it _up_ the stairs; he didn't even make it _off_ the stairs. As soon as she was safely seated on the third step, his belt and fly were torn open, a button popping off somewhere in the distance.

"I can't fucking hold it," he panted.

She grabbed the base of his cock and used it to pull him forward. "I don't care. Fuck me. Cum. Fuck me again."

Nothing more was said before he practically slammed inside her. She squealed in what could possibly be the only acceptable way, and fell back against the stairs. Never again would he go a week—this was just too embarrassing. He was brought back to his first time with her again. He'd pulverized her vagina, made her bleed, and had cum in fifteen seconds flat.

He came just as quickly—embarrassingly. Mortification slowly left as her legs wrapped around his waist and she started wiggling around. All he wanted to do after cumming was sleep, but that definitely wasn't an option.

Edward picked her up enough for Bella to get back on her feet. She ran upstairs, pulling him along. His cock was still out and hitting the teeth of his zipper painfully.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry," she pleaded.

All she could focus on was getting him in her room. It would be the first time in her childhood bed, as they'd only had sex a handful of times in Edward's home before leaving for school. She was too excited considering it was the bed she'd wet so long ago.

She lit a candle on her dresser, preferring not to blind herself, as Edward sat on her bed. The feeling of cum dripping down to her knee made her hot, but she had a feeling Edward would build a complex if he were reminded of his virginal performance on her staircase.

"Bathroom," she stated. "Be ready when I come back."

Her insides felt like mush, hot and pulsing painfully. Before Edward had cum, she could feel herself right on the edge. Her body had gone taught in preparation, and then he'd stopped and disappointment made her limbs numb.

He'd cum twice tonight, she was going to match him, if not succeed his number. Alone, she considered masturbating before going back—but that would probably give him _another_ complex about his skills as a lover.

Men were such fragile things.

Cum free—not for long, hopefully—Bella walked back to her room, satisfied when she spotted Edward, naked, under the covers, and with a tent that called her name.

She quickly straddled him, looking down and smirking. "I'm on top."

His brows came together and he tried to sit up. "You were on top last time!"

"So what?"

"So, it's my turn. I'm the man, I should be on top."

"Just let me have my fucking orgasm, Edward. I feel like I'd cum harder on top while I'm dictating my movements than if I were under you." She threw her dress to the floor and her bra quickly followed.

His eyes went down her chest, and then lower as he finally noticed she was creating a defined puddle on the blanket. "Fine, but I guarantee when I'm on top it'll be better."

He fell back against the bed, hands grabbing at the bars of her headboard. Yes, this was definitely better. She imagined he was her love slave, chained to the bars so she could do whatever pleased her. She made a mental note to check out some bondage erotica.

Bella grabbed the green blanket from where it lay at his hips and pulled down until it was at the end of the bed. His cock stood up proudly, still red from its recent relief. She licked her bottom lip and bit into it.

Edward grabbed her hips and pulled her forward. The spell she'd been under broke and she grabbed his wrists, putting them back up by his head.

"Grab the bars—you're my prisoner," she ordered.

"Fuck you're hot," he moaned, and then added as an afterthought, "Mistress, Bella."

"I _knew_ you were into that," she said, putting her hands on his abdomen and sliding up the length of his cock. "You asked me tie you up one night when you were drunk."

She ground down on him, moving without taking him inside. Her head went back and her breathing went ragged. She could cum just like this—but her body craved an amazing orgasm, not a subpar experience she could have with a pillow.

"You promised—" he groaned loudly, grabbing onto her headboard harder. "—promised you wouldn't hold drunk requests against me."

She laughed breathlessly, still grinding against him. The whole bed shook and creaked as she moved harder. "Want me to spank you and call you 'Bitch'?"

"Shut the fuck up," he moaned.

She stopped moving. "Fine, I'll just fuck you."

She fell chest to chest with him and slid down his sweaty torso until his cock slid inside her. Immediately she jackknifed upward, her hands going to his thighs as she moved up and down. He began to thrust in time with her hips and her whole body broke out in a sweat.

Vision blurred, it was like the whole world went away and the only thing she could focus on was Edward's mouth as it opened and closed every time she sank down on his cock.

"Oh… fuck," she breathed.

"Close?" he asked, panting just as hard. She nodded violently. "Rub your clit."

"Do it for me," she nearly yelled.

One hand came down from the headboard. His whole hand spread over her, but his only his thumb made contact with her clit. He literally held the key to her orgasm in his palm.

"Cumming… I'm cumming."

The shocks inside her bolted upward into her breasts, up her neck, all over her body. Being on edge for so long catapulted her into an intense orgasm that erupted violently from some hidden—wonderful—place and jolted every nerve ending.

With barely the strength to stay upward, Edward sat up, his hands going to her lower back. He was still inside of her and little aftershocks that rivaled some of her orgasms during masturbation traveled through her body, circulating at her sensitive clit.

Bella kissed her lover gratefully, eyes still closed in complete bliss. There was hardly any time to catch her breath as Edward threw her down onto the mattress, slipping out from between her thighs.

"You're leaking all over," he said.

She couldn't rid herself of the stupid grin on her face, but she felt a modicum of embarrassment. "I don't even care," she panted. "You still think you can top that?"

"Do you have a vibrator?"

Her eyes cracked open and the dim light from where the candle burned illuminated the room. Edward was between her parted legs, his hands moving in a circuit from her knees to her hips. His hands so close to her sensitive, well, everything, made her hips move in desperation.

"If I say yes… will you be offended?"

He rolled his eyes. "Of course not."

"It's in the damask duffle bag. I haven't unpacked it yet."

Bella focused on the funny way Edward walked with a hard dick. It bobbed up and down and bobbled wildly when he crouched down next her bag. He pulled out a little red bag off to the side and held it up for her confirmation.

With her nod, he walked back over, pulling the bullet out for inspection. Her eyebrows came together.

"What is this?" he asked, confused.

"A bullet vibrator. What, did you expect a dildo?"

"Kind of," he admitted. "Now I know what to get you for Christmas."

"Please don't," she said dryly. "What do you plan on doing with that?"

His lips pursed. "My mom had this Sexual Exploration book lying around, so I started reading it. It said a vibrator can make sex better for the woman. And if you had a little one like this with a wire, it could go inside and _really_ make it better."

Even though she'd become open with Edward about trying new things and discussing wants and needs, she still flushed and avoided eye contact.

"Well, you could get me _that _kind for Christmas."

"You up for trying this?" he asked.

She shrugged and lay back down, spreading her legs for him once more. After playing around with the settings on the bullet for a moment, Edward put the small vibrator on top of her sex.

The familiar vibrations made her more comfortable and soon enough Edward moved the vibrator to her clit. She was writhing for more instantly, and he complied with her needs by lying down on top of her, situation himself in a way that made the vibrator stay in place while he entered her. Once the bullet was wedged between them, he began a rhythmic thrust that had her gasping.

"You were right," she moaned.

His mouth was at her ear, nipping around her neck and collarbone. "I always am."

He spread her legs wider, putting force from the vibrator more on her clit. Confident that the bullet wasn't going to fall out of place, he began to thrust harder, forcing the bed into the wall.

"Yes! Just like that!"

"Tell me I'm a fucking genius," he panted.

"You're a—oh God! Yes!—a fucking egotist!"

Her back arched and his mouth was on her nipples. He bit and sucked, probably leaving bruises and marks, but what did she care? His fucking lessened in pace, and soon he was barely moving in and out.

"What? What are you doing? Have you lost your mind?" she nearly screamed.

"Say it," he ordered.

"Fine! You're a genius, Edward! You're a fucking sex guru and pussy master!"

"That's all I wanted to hear, Bella. Now hold onto your brain, because I'm about to fuck it out."

"Finally—"

Nothing but the sound of her childhood bed smashing into the wall could be heard. It remained that way for a few seconds until the dam burst and Bella could no longer contain the shrieks of unadulterated pleasure that accompanied Edward's furious thrusting. It wasn't senseless fucking—at least in her eyes—his hands were all over her body, rubbing, touching, caressing in a way that made everything much more erotic.

When her body could no longer control itself, he took the reigns and forced her down, holding the vibrator steady and rubbing it in symmetry with his thrusts.

"Gonna cum! Please, please, please…"

"Yeah, Bella. Cum for me," he panted, eyes half closed.

"Oh… God, Edward!"

Her back arched and her legs went taught, practically cramping as her toes dug into the mattress. She was mesmerized by the drawn out orgasm that was perpetuated by the vibrator. Her cries reverberated throughout the room and Edward leaned forward, kissing her roughly as she came down slowly.

"I think… I died," she whispered.

Edward wiped the sweat from his face. "Can you handle anymore?"

Bella looked down, his cock stood proudly between them. "I think I can be a martyr and take another," she laughed breathlessly.

"Damn, I love you."

"I know. You should really worship me, though."

He leaned forward, and pinned her down against the bed. He kissed her mouth. "I worship you." He kissed her cheek. "I adore you." Nose. "I am obsessed with you." Forehead. "I live in the House of Bella." Back to her mouth. "I _love_ you. Despite how much I'm an asshole."

She rolled her eyes. "You're so emotional. That's why I get to be on top." She winked and pushed him up, rolling onto her stomach and then pushing herself up onto her elbows and knees. "Since I can't top your sentimental declaration, this is probably the best way to show my love."

"I can think of no better way," Edward said proudly.

Not necessarily her favorite position, Bella bowed her head and looked down, watching as Edward moved closer, gripping his cock and giving a few firm strokes. She bit her lip as he entered.

"Ohhh… _damn_."

"Good?" she asked.

He held onto her hips, one hand smoothing up her spine and into her hair, lightly pulling her head back to look at him. "You have no idea."

Bella pushed up onto her hands and grabbed her headboard. She was partly concerned that anymore banging would put a hole in her wall that would undoubtedly be hard to explain to Charlie.

Edward grabbed her attention with a steady pulse of his hips. Soon enough his enthusiasm got the better of him and he was fucking her relentlessly.

In a feminine, sexual way, it did feel good. But in another way, she felt so open and exposed, like random, faceless sex. Had Edward not been her first, and had he not been so open to her concerns and ideas at the beginning of their sexual relationship, she doubted the continuity of this position in her life.

Edward grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up, her back to his chest. Her head fell back against his chest and his hands were on her chest, groping and playing.

"You never cum in this position," he murmured.

She shivered. "I don't know… I guess it just feels different."

He licked the side of her neck, pumping his hips upward. Oh, that felt better. His fingers found her clit and rubbed as furiously as his fucking. Head backward, mouth open, and inhibitions thrown to the wayside, Bella grabbed her lover's hand and felt the tendons as he worked her to her orgasm. She silently released and Edward's moans grew louder.

She pulled away and he pushed her down onto the mattress. He'd played her prisoner game, so why not play the victim to his rough sex? Still reeling from her orgasm, the brutality of his thrusts felt wonderful against the sensitive tissues.

"Gonna… cum. Oh God… gonna cum."

His hands were almost painful on her hips. The sound of flesh slapping against flesh added as an aphrodisiac, and Bella decided to help strengthen his orgasm with something she'd promised to only say when drunk.

"Yes… cum inside me, Edward."

"Fuck, I am… I'm—"

His body shuddering shook the bed, and then he fell to her side, eyes closed with the stupidest grin she'd ever seen. She slid down onto her stomach and leaned her elbows on his slick chest.

She played with his matted hair until his breathing steadied. "You asleep?"

"Not yet," he mumbled. "Give me a few seconds."

She smiled. "You can stay the night, but you have to put on some clothes. My dad might shoot you."

He cracked one eye. "If you dress me, I'll eat you out in the morning."

"I'm holding you to it."

"'Kay. G'night."

She waited for him to fall asleep before sitting up. Looking down, her small bullet vibrator was on the floor. When she flicked the switch, it no longer turned on. In his excitement, he must have thrown it to the side, she assumed.

"God dammit."


End file.
